Bidding on Andrew Mitchell's 'plebgate' bike closes tonight
The auction's proceeds will go to a charity helping Kenyan children affected by HIV/AIDS
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Your support makes all the difference.Bidding will close today on the bike at the centre of the "plebgate" row which cost Andrew Mitchell his job as chief whip.
As of 1.20pm today, the top bid was £10,100.
As Mitchell admits, he had an ill-tempered argument with police officers at the gates to Downing Street in September last year, when they wouldn't let him ride the bike through the main gate. The following day, the Sun reported that in an expletive-infested rant, he called the officers "plebs".
Such a furore was caused by the allegation that after a month of bad press, Mitchell resigned.
He insists that he never used that word, and that he fell victim of a deliberate campaign to "toxify" the Conservatives and ruin his career.
On Monday he put the “hard-working” Reflux Westminster on sale, which he says is looking for a “good home out of the limelight”.
All the proceeds from the sale will go to the charity Nyumbani UK, which helps Kenyan children affected by HIV/AIDS.
According to the listing, the 22-inch framed bicycle has 18 gears and comes complete with a wicker basket and lights.
The bike will remain on sale until 7pm tonight.
Scotland Yard are still investigating the “plebgate” incident, after a television documentary cast doubt on the original police account.
A Channel 4 investigation found CCTV footage showing that there was no large group of tourists outside the main gate at the time, as had originally been claimed. The veracity of an email from a civilian witness backing up the police account of events has also since been called into question.
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